


Always

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, Director Daisy, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Grief/Mourning, Jiaying feels, Metaphors, Soldiers together, Soulmates, Speculation, Staring, mentions of Daisy's parents, sads? I guess, somewhat canon friendly if you like my ship I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 09:42:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9174205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: Ficlet written for #thejcexchange for the prompt: gardening.  Daisy returns to the spot where her mother taught her and plants a tree.





	

She bends to the ground and presses a finger to the earth.

There's a popping noise, and it's like the sound is absorbed, then released when a tiny mound erupts just beneath her fingertip.

Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, she pulls out the seed, then pushes it into the soft soil, lifting up fingers to sprinkle the loose, sandy soil, then covering it over with her other hand.

"Now what?"

"Nature takes its course," she says, standing up, dusting the dirt off her jeans.

It was time. She had never really had a chance to slow down.

Or maybe she wasn't ready to do this. It feels like she's finally taking up what her mother had to put down.

"She would be proud of you, Daisy," he tells her.

She looks across the valley at the mountain before them, and stretches out her hand.

And hears the mountain call back to her, even louder than before.

 

###

  
The return ride is quiet, he doesn't try to talk.

Mace had let her take a Quinjet here, bringing only Coulson along.

She knew he wanted to ask, but he didn't.

Just like Coulson has given her space since she came back to SHIELD.

And she thought that she wanted it, but not right now.

One look at her eyes, and he puts his hand on her shoulder, then pulls her against him in a hug.

"Thank you," she says, feeling the trickle of tears start.

"I'm just sorry your father couldn't be here."

She swallows, and feels the knot forming in her chest.

"I wouldn't want him here, for this. It would be hard on him. I need you."

Pulling back from him, she slides her hands down his arms, pushing them away, but not away.

So he understands.

There's a question in his eyes as he stares back at her, his hand on her wrist, like he's afraid she'll break their contact.

It's not the kind of thing she can answer right now.

He wraps his arms back around her and hugs her again with a sigh.

 

###

  
"What changed?" he asks her, quietly, when they're alone a few days later in the common area.

A couple of night owls. Enough nightmares between the two of them, that it's definitely not the first time they've bumped into each other like this.

"You mean, my mother?"

"Yes," he answers, a moment later, as though it's an answer, but not the answer.

She knows what he means.

Ever since they went to where Afterlife once stood, it's stirred up a lot of things.

"I'm not a fugitive, I'm a leader. I realize that now. I wasn't running from that, I just wasn't sure what it was meant to look like."

He hums agreement with her, gives a happy nod.

"And I didn't have time to mourn, I guess," she goes on, holding onto the mug of sleepy tea. "Not really."

"I'm sorry," he tells her solemnly, like he blames himself.

"It wasn't your fault," she says, reaching for his hand across the table, touching his prosthetic.

He stares at her fingers, and she sees his jaw set, like he's holding something in.

"Didn't I hear you say you were ready to put the past behind you?"

She's trying to lighten it.

" _Overheard_ ," he jokes, with a small smile, still looking downward.

"So, what changed for you?"

He doesn't say anything, but his eyes move up slowly to meet hers.

 

  
###

  
The tree has grown, up out of the earth.

Nature has taken it course.

It's still small, but already showing the signs it will flower and fruit.

" _Daisy_."

She turns and finds him right there behind her, his hair a little grayer at the temples.

Probably her doing.

"Thanks for coming here with me," she tells him, as he slips his hand into hers.

"Always," he smiles, squeezing her fingers tightly.

That's what she found out. After they had first come here together a year ago.

It wasn't that something had changed at all.

They had only discovered what was always there.

"Director."

He's used to it by now, but he gives a little restless noise in the back of his throat.

A moment interrupted.

They both turn to the agent, who hands her the update from Fury on the Kree movements. Massing an army at the edge of the solar system.

"I guess it's time to go move mountains, Director," Coulson tells her, all excited.

"You're just excited to get up _there,_ " she teases, tipping her head up.

"You know I am," he says, with that little sparkle in his eye.

It always caught hers.

From the day they met.


End file.
